1. Log homes are
generally safer during a drive-by shooting unless you are sitting in front of a window.

2. Log homes, on average,
have several times as much lumber in them as stick built homes and are generally more
expensive to build. DUH?

3. Generally speaking you
either like log homes or you don't. They are not for everyone. If you are one of those
folks who don't like them, THEN WHAT THE HECK ARE DOING HERE? You must be a closet loggie.

4. Log homes are more
completely finished at dry-in than stick built homes.

5. Log homes are generally MORE
efficient to heat and cool than well insulated stick built homes. They accomplish this NOT
BY "R" factor but by energy storage in the logs, i.e. "THERMAL MASS".
Cows understand this principle very well for in cold weather they group together to
prevent their milk from icing up.

6. Log homes nearly ALWAYS
appraise for a good bit more once built than they do on paper. One house we were involved
in appraised for $375,000 before it was built. Same company came back after it was
finished and rated it at $525,000. I guess seeing is believing or some appraisers lack
"vision".

7. Log homes generally fair
better in high wind and earthquake situations. Hurricane Andrew seemed to like to eat
stick houses a good bit better than log ones. Few log homes, though, can withstand the hot
air emitted by most successful politicians, but then again what can?

8. Interior walls done in
full logs increase the efficiency of log homes by increasing the "thermal mass"
just like adding more cows keeps the herd warmer.

9. Using heat to force the
water from cypress logs can damage the integrity of the wood, therefore it is VERY
difficult to dry........ but like most good things, it is worth the wait. Oh well, all
good things come to he who waits with the cash in hand.

10. Have you ever noticed
that most log homes have the front where the back usually is and the back where the front
is? I wonder what that says about loggies? (people who love log homes)

11. Log homes generally weigh
more than stick built homes, so driving one by the DOT scales is NOT recommended.

12. Most "rookie
loggies" think that they need a serious professional to build their log home. Truth
is, what you need is what the whole world needs, a good man who takes pride in his work
and one who can be trusted. Experience is unequal to quality, in fact seasoned log
builders sometimes get tunnel vision and develop the "if it was good enough for Abe,
it's good enough for you" attitude.

13. Fable: There
are a higher percentage of log homes in the United States than ever before. (Practically
everybody used to have one)

14. Fact:
Sound travels very well through wood and therefore, when spending quality time with your
wife, be sure that you have fans or some other distractions running in the children's
rooms. In other words, wood floors upstairs = ratty tat tat downstairs.

15. Fable:
People feel sorry for you if you only can afford to live in a log
home.

16. Fable:
The IRS will feel sorry for you if you can only afford to live in a log home.

17. Fable:
Log homes are not as safe in a fire as are stick built homes. You always start fires with
sticks and kindling. Ever tried to start a fire with a big old LOG? It is harder to start
and burns slower, however longer. So, if you have some REALLY BIG fish to fry, a log home
will provide you will lots of heat for a long time, but will be hard to get going.
Tractor-trailer loads of grease are available at the local fast food restaurant on a daily
basis.

18. Fact:
Kiln dried logs do NOT stop shrinkage due to loss of moisture. Most woods (cypress being
somewhat of an exception, read on drying cypress) take on moisture when exposed to it. Meaning after being kiln
dried, most woods swell up during the building process unless it is very dry every day for
the entire month or so it takes to build the house and, of course, shrink when that water
leaves after hvac is turned on. Proof: Take a piece of Kiln Dried pine and put it outside for a
month. Check and record the stack height during that month. It will expand and contract
just like Oprah. Being gravitationally and spatially enhanced myself, I really should not pick on her,
but what the heck, she will never read this page.

19. You can build nearly any
design you desire in logs. Complicated designs may be more expensive, but not impossible.
Whatever you can dream up..... and pay for..... can be done in logs.

20. Fable:
You must match all the woods in a home for it to look nice. Our house
has cypress, yellow pine, oak, cherry, white pine, and maybe a little walnut. All are
finished naturally and look great together. Of course it is 90% cypress. I wonder why?

21. All logs check,
that is they get cracks in them when they dry. These "seasoning
checks" are normal and if they bother you, then perhaps vinyl siding is
what you are after. Cypress tends to check less than many other woods, with the
possible exception of cedar.

22. Fable: All log home
companies are about the same......you'd better check this one out for yourself.